Awestruck Comments

Rem -- I wondered the same thing when I thought of the story. So I did some research -- as early as the 1820s there were news stories about games of "Town Ball" which involved 4 bases, a bat, and a ball. By 1850 there were pieces in boys' magazines and books of games about something called either "Goal Ball" or "Base Ball" that had the diamond, 4 bases, bat, and ball. So I figured the timing was such and it was sufficiently widespread throughout the U.S. and its territories that they would have played in the school yard or wherever when they were little. What didn't become common until the 1890s were gloves for catching.

Insideoutlaw 1 - Great take on the prompt, carrying a torch - First love is the kind of hurt that stays with you. A sad, bittersweet tale which showed the bond of friendship between them. I bet if they were to make the series again there would be more backstory, mind you we wouldn't have the gaps to fill in with great stories like this.

InsideOutlaw 2 - I could really see men like this being haunted by nightmare-and some great lines, especially, 'Heyes and I were both wounded and had been for most of our lives; they just weren’t the kind of wounds you could see.'

Riders - I love your take on the story - the different perspectives dovetail into one another and build up a really rounded picture. Poor Wheat, be careful what you wish for, because Heyes is a hard act to follow. No wonder they disappeared so quickly from The Hole.

NM131 - Long time no read! Glad to see you back. What a lovely, reflective piece with memories of fireflies in a jar juxtaposed against the harshness of their adult lives. I hope this signals a return to having writing time for you - your great stories have been missed.

I/O -- I like your second story too. It's always interesting to see different perspectives on the psyche's of our boys. Your interaction between the two flowed very naturally and was very in keeping with their personalities. Hope your bunnies keep hopping along.

ooh Hanna a big cave. I think somone mentioned the Mammoth Caves before..probably you

I even looked them up on Google. BIG caves.

So..you gonna leave the boys in there??

HannaHeyes -- I enjoyed the full story when I read it on the other site and you are correct that this piece fits this month's theme. Your descriptions of Mammoth Caves are wonderful and make it clear how familiar you are with them.

SisterGrace -- So glad you submitted a story this month. This is very sad, and very emotional. You pull us in and wring our hearts for both the Kid and Emma -- what an awful situation. Still she was better off than many unwed mothers of that era -- her grandfather stood by her and didn't cast her out, and she apparently was not forced to turn to prostitution to support herself and her son as so many women would have been. Beautifully written.

It's been so long since I've read challenges or commented on them that I fear I'll never be able to catch up so, I'm going to begin with July.

InsideOutlaw - We don't often get a glimpse into the inner workings of the mind of Hannibal Heyes. Your story touches on some of his deepest emotions. I can completely buy into the idea of Heyes' choice never to make himself vulnerable again, and also into the idea that Heyes wouldn't want to make that same choice for his partner. With your help, Heyes articulates his emotions very thoroughly. Good read.

nm131 - Yes, it's been FAR too long, nm! Nice to hear from you again. This piece took me back to summertime Northern Michigan. (Uh-oh, I feel a Kid Rock song coming on!) This line wrapped everything up perfectly into one simple, and as you stated, futile wish: Curry looked up into a face known as well as his own, eyes met and held for a long moment, not needing light to convey a futile wish to go back in time and innocence. Glad you're back to writing!

riders57 - Such deep truths revealed with two muttered sentences, one by Heyes and the other by Curry. Well-written and enjoyable. I have never really contemplated HH and KC's return to the Hole to say their goodbyes before. Glad you did it for us.

InsideOutlaw 2 - Gosh, don't you just love it when the boys whisper in your ear? Glad Kid kept talkin' and glad you kept writin'! This was my favorite line: Sure, I’d like to have a family someday, but most of all, I wanted to keep the family I have safe right now.

hannaheyes - Enjoyed this tour of Mammoth Caves with Heyes and the Kid. I felt a little bit like Becky Thatcher, grabbing onto Tom Sawyer's hand and beginning this adventure. I giggled at Heyes' description of "Fat Man's Misery" and Curry's bumping his head on "Tall Man's Misery." I always enjoy a little bit of history in my fanfic, so I was glad you included the nod to the tuberculosis clinic that had once been in the caves. Now I'm left to wonder, will I need to take another tour of Mammoth Caves in order to find out if Heyes and Curry left behind any Historic Graffiti of their own?

Riders57 2 - Very somber tale for both guys. A real relationship just would have been too difficult for either of them to sustain. I'm left very curious about the baptism ritual you have described and I'm wondering if this comes from some specific denominational tradition. I've never heard of one like it before, but using it here gave the story a lighter feel, in contrast with with Kid's darker emotional state. Nice balance.

Sister Grace: Aww. Very bittersweet. Really liked the kind of Rashomon-like structure of the story, and the plot in general. Poor Kid. This could easily be continued, ya know! It'd be great to know what Kid did after seeing the kid, and how Heyes reacted as well.

Riders57: Another "Poor Kid" story. I liked how Heyes was there to support him and that he knew when not to talk. Were the baptisms being conducted in Latin--was that the strange language they heard? And why do it in the middle of the night--was there some special significance to that? I don't know enough about Christianity to know what that was all about. (At first, I thought it might be Druids...)

Aww two sad Kid loses the girl stories.

Sistergrace...well written and edited and I wondered..would she reallly turn him in for the reward...


Riders...I thought it was Heyes at first. I may need to have a talk with Kid about all these women he keeps abandoning!

Maz -- Dang, about half way through I about choked to death laughing. You should warn a person. Love the references to nephratitis and the tease with ED -- she is coming back soon isn't she (and not torturing the Kid too much). I'm not sure torches are any safer than orphans and kittens though.

I'm really getting behind on my reading!....

INSIDE OUTLAW - I enjoy stories written from HH's point of view, especially if its a side of him rarely seen. I felt bad for Heyes when Sally's pa come between them. I agree Heyes is afraid of letting anyone close to him. A broken heart doesn't ever really heal.

NM131 - Kid made me rememberback to when I chased lightning bugs as a child. Really liked the 'futile wish to go back in time and innocence' line. Its so true.

RIDERS - Really liked that HH and KC left a goodbye note when they went back to the Hole to get some things. Wheat was probably pretty happy to read it ;)

INSIDE OUTLAW #2 - I can imagine the nightmares the boys would have. The line, 'Heyes and i were both wounded;....just weren't the kind you could see' is so true, not only to the story, but to Rl also. I agree with Kid that Heyes is kind-hearted, he just likes to hide it.

SISTERGRACE - I was worried Emma might actually turn Kid in. And I wonder if she ever told her son the truth. Sad, but well-written.

RIDERS #2 - Like the scene of the baptisms taking place. Seemed real peaceful. Nice:)

MAZ - Poor Kid! 'Someone' has him scared to death! At first, I thought ED was back in town.

Oops! I think I missed one while I was on vacation! Sorry!

JOANNEB - Loved the role reversal here in your June story. Not often you get to see Kid being the one in the card game and Heyes watching. I loved it!

AND if I've missed anyone else, I do apologize! (But I believe I've got everybody now )

We're only half way through this month and it's shaping up with some cracking reads! Thanks everyone.

Hannaheys - I enjoyed this excerpt from your longer story. It fits so well with the prompt and I'd encourage anyone who hasn't read it to get over to the other site to read the full version.

Sister Grace - This was a wonderful story. You caught all the conflicted emotions of the characters and got us wondering what was coming... but no; she didn't turn him in. What a superb ending, succinct but all the more bittersweet for that.

Riders - Another sad and bittersweet tale, with the unspoken reticence between the partners definitely saying more than their words. Loved it

Maz - Hilarious! I absolutely loved it, but I have to say that Kid's been getting out of hand this month and may need some discipline. First he rides off and abandons his child and then he's climbing out of the window? Surely with all the women he's romancing this month he wouldn't have the energy to get his leg over... the sill... the window sill!! What did you think I was going to say on a PG site?